Oct 31

special events

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Jun 19

A real discovery

3 : wines, french Add Comment (0)

Loire region (Sologne) - Sweet red wine - 750ml bottle

In the dark corners of his cave slept, for at least 8 years for the youngest, marcs and fines. A “Marc” is a liquor obtained by distilling the pomace produced in wine pressing. Generally, the distillation is maintained until a high alcohol content is acheived. While aging, this liquor obtains a characteristic taste of raisins with a hint of leather. In Italy or California, this alcohol is called “grappa”. A “Fine” is generally an alcohol obtained by distillation of wine, dregs or light distilled rape wines. Claude Courtois, insatiably curious, dug up some grape seeds while cleaning out his ditches and grew grapes that ressembled nothing he had seen before. We thus can’t tell you the name or varietal of these grapes because even the creator himself doesn’t know! Hoping to promote these alcohols, Mr. Courtois created this fortified wine combining non-fermented dregs with liquor. To this we add eau de vie to reach 17% alcohol. Then, we add 1 litre of eau de vie of 50% alcohol to 1 litre of grape juice to obtain a fortified wine of 25% alcohol content. Fans of wine/chocolate combinations, you have here an excellent choice with flavours of plums, hay, raspberry, spices … these eau de vie obviously have a pleasant scent, light with an aromatic complexity. If you like a good eau de vie, try this wine! You can amuse yourself by testing for the various tastes and scents produced; chocolate custard, blue veined cheese, foie gras, various cakes, nutella crepes, asian sweet and sour…

Drink very fresh in the coming 50 years. As an added bonus, it keeps well opened for some time. In short, a marvel…

Grape juice grown in organic culture, Déméter certification.

Search Claude Courtois on this excellent site http://www.raffaelebonivento.com/vignerons/

Jun 8

True Story

5 : Informations Add Comment (0)

The disappearance of a serial eater

Hello,

Today, no recipes, jokes or wines. Instead, a story. A true, englightening and troubling story. That of Pascal Henry, Genevan messenger and amateur gourmet, who left at the start of last may for an immense and improbable gastronomic journey with a mysterious conclusion.

The challenge: eat in all 68 three-star restauraunts in the world listed in the Michelin Guide, in 68 days. From Japan to Britan, through France and the United States. Every night a sumptuous feast. He carefully prepared his plan, two years in the making. He had saved enough money for the trip. He had reserved his tables, flights, and rental cars.

The marathon started the 5th of may 2008, at Paul Bocuse’s, who takes the globe trotter under his wing. Paul, amused by the challenge, offered Henry a log book, where he copied by hand the meal eaten there. He then informed his culinary colleauges of the upcoming arrival of the wandering Genevan.

Everything proceeds as planned, all the way until the 40th restaurant listed: El Bulli à Rosas. The date is the 12th of June. Pascal Henry eats his meal alone. Then, around 15 past midnight, leaves his table announcing that he will return shortly. Nobody has seen him since. He left his hat and Bocuse’s notebook on the table. At 5 in the morning the restaurant manager called the police, who have been looking for him since. Henry vanished into thin air - he did not honour any of his subsequent reservations, nor did he return to work the 15th of June as expected.

Crime? Depression? Accident?

A culinary tragedy.

From Paperblog

Jun 5

A captivating voice

5 : Informations Add Comment (1)

A lovely surprise this month - We invite you to follow the link http://soytuaire.labuat.com/ to discover the passionate voice of Labuat and this fantastic site full of poetry.

May 23

DEGUSTATION BORDEAUX PRIMEURS 2008

3 : wines, french Add Comment (3)

In a couple weeks, the first wines of the campagne des Bordeaux en primeur 2008 are expected, with the first notes of some of the participants. Contrary to last year, it’s expected that the event will finish quite early this year.

A few vintages are already out with discounts expected, from previous years, to sit between 10% and 45%. These early wines have the advantage of more maneuvering room with their prices after the surge in prices in 2005.

By Jacques Perrin (translated)

Photo: Armand Borlant

Exceptional Wines    *****

Cos d’Estournel : The 2008 is a great success.

Château Calon-Ségur: a stylistic change has worked out well.

Good wines (continued)    ****

May 18

Manila’s fish market

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During my last visit to Manila I visited the fish market early in the morning - a unique experience!

It’s almost like a journey back in time; the atmosphere is very similar to what it would’ve been a century ago. Even if the hygiene doesn’t seem great the freshness of the fish is fantastic. A tip though - be sure to show up soon after opening so you get the freshest products, and bring a cooler to keep your purchases cold because fridges are nowhere to be seen at the market. Next time you’re in Manila be sure to stop by the fish market!

May 12

My latest purchase

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Cabernet Franc varietal - Anjou region - Mellow rosé wine - 750ml bottle - AOC Cabernet d’Anjou 1970

Halfway between white and red, we offer you a passionate oenological experience thanks to the aged vintages of the Domaine de Bablut in Brissac (49). Christophe Daviau opened his cellars to us and allowed us to obtain vintages vinified by his grandfather in 1966, 1970 and 1975 at Cabernet d’Anjou. Originally quite mellow (20 to 25g/L residual sugar), the sweetness has now nearly disappeared.  Made from old vines with low yields (30 to 40 hL per high density hectare), these wines have defied the decades and offer truly original scent and taste. These wines show a bouquet of fir honey, resin and wax. A unique beverage with a reasonable price that goes well with items such as calf’s sweetbread.

750mL bottle

AOC Cabernet d’Anjou

To make good use of the soil, preserve biodiveristy and produce quality wines that are good for your health, the Daviau Vineyards undertook a total restructuring in the early 90’s in two steps: 1 - placement of varietals in their preferred soils and territories, as well as carefully planned wine-growing 2 - Between ‘93 and ‘94 an experiment in biodynamics on 3 hectares, and since ‘96 a complete reconversion to organic winemaking. Along with the intensive work done at the vineyard, Christophe Daviau, oenologist, brought his knowledge and experience to modernize the winemaking methods while respecting the raw materials. Christophe Daviau, after his oenologic studies at the Université de Bordeaux II, worked in Australia for 16 moths in the two vineyards of the Rémy Martin society, being responsible for the “oenological experiements” there. In 1990, 27 years old, he returns to the Domaine de Bablut. A rosé of this type would, at first thought, seem strange as an aging wine. This is, however, the method of the Domaine: old vintages that prove their aptitude for aging in Cabernet d’Anjou (1959, 1966, 1967, 1970…).

Varieties: Cabernet franc, Cabernet Sauvignon

Soil: Shale and clay-limestone hills, well exposed to wind and sun. Compared to other areas of the region, the rocky soil permits an increase in concentration and sweetness.

Yield: 40hL per hectare

Annual production (average): 18 600 bottles

Harvest: Manual and machinery, at full maturity, determined by physiological and phenological signs

Winemaking: 100% destemming, pneumatic pressure, slow fermentation in vats. Once the sugar/acid balance is reached, fermentation is slowed by decanting and a reduction in temperature. Settling is performed in springtime by multiple decantings, and finning.

Residual sugars: 20-25g per litre

May 4

Surprising Wines

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Languedoc Region (St Chinian) - Round, rich white wine - 750ml bottle - table wine

An original varietal for the area: La Petite Arvine

Another winegrower talks about it in his blog:

http://lisson.over-blog.com/article-20027088.html

For a long time, the origins of La Petite Arvine perplexed the best specialists. Since the meeting of the Société Internationale Ampélographique in 1878 at Geneve, this varietal has been known to exist nowhere but in Valais, where there are 115 hectares planted. Nowhere else? This is most assuredly a Surprising Wine! Hildegard Horat, swiss winegrower of Assignan, Herault, couldn’t resist his roots and grafted Petite Arvine onto old clairettes.

Chapoutier received authorization to plant this varietal experimentally in Tain l’Hermitage. La Petite Arvine favours exposed hills weak in organic material, but is vulnerable to drought and strong winds. Assignan proves to have conditions favourable to growing Arvine. Even if Assignan is situated in the AOC zone of St Chinian, we find not shale but clay-limestone soils on sandstone handling the winter rains more easily to restore the plants in the summer. Additionally, the 250-300m elevation attenuates the summer heat well.

Fermented dry, Petite Arvine is a defined, virile wine. Its nose is a floral wisteria, with a hint of honey. We can distinguish also hints of citrus, pineapple and rhubarb. It has somewhat high acidity, with a slight salinity. Harvested at maturity, Petit Arvine shows a strong alcohol presence that gives it an aptitude for aging. The Hildegard Horat vintage differs somewhat from this description with a rounder, more yellow stone fruit smell. 2003 marked the vintage with a certain smoothness in the mouth without ending up too soft, with a nice saline finish.

Petite Arvine is found only in Valais and the Val d’Aoste. Rumours run of certain renowned owners, primarily in France and Italy, who show serious interest in Arvine and are performing tests of the variant… in Valais, the planted acreage has more than doubled in the last 10 years. Between 1997 and 2000, more than 10 hectares of Arvine were planted (raising the total from 54.6 to 64.9 hectares).  The variant benefits also from repurposing of more established varietals; in 2002 the variant was already up to 81 hectares. The next year over 100 hectares were dedicated to Petit Arvine and by 2004 that number was up to 115 hectares.

The names Arvine and Petite Arvine are used interchangably these days. La Grande Arvine, a large-fruited variety from a Rèze crossed with an unknown varietal giving cruder wines, has practically disappeared. There is thus not a large chance of confusion through use of the Arvine name to refer specifically to Petite Arvine.

Dry, Arvine meshes well with cheese, fish, and shellfish. Matured, it accompanies foie gras well (the salinity and acidity complement it wonderfully) but also blue cheese where it tastes almost syrupy.

Text from www.fullygrandcru.ch

Apr 7

Roasted quail, mustard, peaches

1 : recette, meat Add Comment (4)

For 4 people

4 plump quail

1 tbsp mustard

2 tbsp breadcrumbs

3 ripe peaches

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

200ml cream

Butter, peanut oil, salt and pepper

PREPARATION

Season the quail with salt and pepper. In a frying pan, with a tablespoon of peanut oil lightly coat the quail on all sides and place them in a dish for the oven. Let them cool.

With the back of a spoon, paint the quail as evenly as possible with mustard and sprinkle with breadcrumbs and let stand.

Cut the peaches into 6 pieces. In the frying pan where you coated the quail add a teaspoon of butter and brown the peach pieces. Season them with salt and pepper and cook for only 1 to 2 minutes then spread them on a plate.

Pour the vinegar into the frying pan and reduce. Add the cream and 100mL water, then bring to a boil. Add 6 peach quarters and mix, then let stand in heat.

Put the quail in the oven (about 200 degrees C) for 10 minutes and serve accompanied by the peaches and sauce.

Wine suggestion:  A Chateaux Margaux such as Chateau Galiane.

Apr 6

Some quail this winter in the Okanagan

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At my friend Bruce’s place we took this photo of some plump quail near the grapes. I think they’d be perfect roasted over a dried vine fire and served with a slightly creamy polenta with a touch of parmesan. Actually, this gives me an idea for a recipe - ” CAILLES ROTIES ET PANEES AUX PECHES”